Dealing with jerks in the workplace

As a manager, dealing with difficult co-workers and diffusing tense situations is part of your job description. CIOs also find themselves in a unique position to take heat from both sides--from other managers and the board of directors as well as the IT department. The truth of the matter is that dealing with difficult interpersonal situations is simply an occupational hazard that comes with the territory. The other side of the coin though, is that being able to deal with such situations is basically a job requirement for a CIO. And if you don't learn how to deal with workplace "jerks" properly, they could sap the productivity of your entire IT organization and might even affect the bottom line. To that end, Robert Sutton has written a book, colorfully titled, The No A**hole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't. In an interview with the author, ComputerWorld reveals a few tips for dealing with difficult co-workers and building a stronger IT team.

For more on dealing with jerks:
- see this ComputerWorld article